Battle-Hardened, War Weary Ch. 05

Daniel had an idea of where this story was going. "How was the affair found out?"

"Faye became pregnant with her son and daughter, back in 1966. Everybody in our town knew that those babies did not belong to Frank, her husband. Her man was hardly home and always was on business trips. Once her old man found out Faye's infidelity, he had beaten the holy hell out of her and then tossed her out of his house. She didn't have any other place to live, so she had gone to my parents' house."

"So, wait a minute, this Faye woman knew that Johnny was—

"Black? Yes, she knew about Johnny's race and about us. The town that we are from is very small. At the time, it was segregated, but everybody knew everybody. We, Martins, were legendary in our town. We're Black, but we could pass for White people. Back to the story: Faye and Johnny decided to do the 'family thing' with each other. My dad, a few of my uncles and Johnny had built a nice house on my family's property, for the new family. They knew that they needed to be careful, when they were in town..."

Faye had taken a sip out of her glass of gin before she continued with her story.

"The last time I saw Johnny alive was on September 16th, 1966. He had picked me up from my job to escort me home. At the time, I was 'in between' husbands and I was working a waitress job at a diner. I was living on my own, in a shitty apartment. We talked as he drove me home. Before he drove off that night, we talked in the cabin of his pick-up truck. He told me that he was excited about becoming a daddy. I was nervous for him. He was going to be the father of half-white babies during a very ugly time in America. He assured me that everything was going to be all right. Then he told me that he needed to go to Hancock's, which was a local grocery store and pick up some snacks for Faye..."

Abigail had gone silent for eight seconds. "He was excited about becoming a dad. And..."

When she stopped speaking, he glanced at his great-aunt. Her face was glistened with tears. Her makeup was ruined.

"Auntie, I'm sorry" he apologized.

"He was gone for four days. We looked for him. There were people who said that my brother caught a case of cold feet and he deserted Faye, but we knew better. On the third day of his disappearance, his truck was found. It was wrecked. Then, on September 20th, we found him. Or rather my mama was the one who found Johnny. They..."

She sniffled. She grabbed a napkin off of the table. She wiped her face.

"They placed his body on my parents' doorstep with a sign taped to his torso. My mommy was the first person to find him and she had gone crazy on that day. My daddy had come home that night to find her cradling him, on the front porch. By the time I had found out about Johnny, he was already carted off to the funeral home while my mama was taken to a nearby hospital. I didn't know how he died until twenty years later, when I found a newspaper article about his death..."

"How did he die?"

"Based off of what the article said, he was beheaded and was castrated. When my dad was alive, he wouldn't tell us. He refused to tell us anything. At his funeral, the casket was close. Art Tomlin, the funeral home director refused to tell us too."

"Did they find his killer?" inquired Daniel.

"Everybody knew whose his killers were. Faye's ex-husband and his friends had no problem gloating about killing my brother. They bragged about it for years. They harassed us. They harassed Faye and the children, as well. We all knew that they did it."

"And nothing happened to them?" Daniel felt outraged.

"The cops didn't bother to interrogate them. But they did receive their comeuppance in 1974. Faye's ex and his rough riding buddies were found in a wooded area in Tennessee. They were torched to a crisp. No one knew who did it, but there was speculation that my father did it."

"They probably crossed paths with the wrong cowboys," concluded Daniel.

"No, my father was the one who orchestrated the murders," Abigail told him. Daniel stared at her wide-eyed in amazement. "I believe he had something to do with it. I remember two months before the murders, my dad had gone to Memphis. He had gone to visit a friend of his named Luther. At the time, I was living with Daddy and Mommy. I was divorced again and my kids and I were staying with them. I remember seeing my dad pack a lot of money in a suitcase..."

Abigail had taken a sip out of her drink.

"He had me take care of mama while he was gone. I believe that he did it. My dad had motive. Now, you won't find me crying for them..."

Abigail had taken a long pull from her glass of gin.

Daniel sat back in his chair and try to absorb all of the information that was given to him. Within the time span of three hours, he had learned something about his mother that alter his perception about her. He learned about a tragic event involving his doppelgänger. Then, he was exposed to a family secret that sounds like it had come from an episode of "The Sopranos". He felt like he wanted a drink.

The sensation of vibration permeated through his left thigh. He was pulled from his thoughts. He realized that his cell phone was ringing. He withdrew his phone from his pants' pocket. He checked the Caller ID. It was Mary Anne.

"I'm guessing that you do want those slices of carrot cake," he said into the phone, sounding amused.

"Danny," Mary Anne panted. Daniel's cause for concern increased. She sounded scared and panic. "I need you to come home! I am in labor!"

"What?" he spoke into the phone. He stood up from his chair.

"My water... My water ruptured and I am having contractions! I have been counting them and they are three minutes apart!"

"Mary Anne, baby, I need for you call the ambulance! I will meet you up there!" he instructed.

"I did call them! The EMT's are here right now! You don't have to worry about calling your parents, I already did! I've called Doctor Peterson and he is on his way to the hospital! I've called my parents too! I've gotta go! Bye, baby! I love you!" Then, the call was disconnected.

"Honey, are you all right?" Abigail said to him.

He stared at his relative. "Mary Anne is in labor! She told me that her water has broken," he informed his great-aunt. "It's too soon for her to go into labor! She is only five months pregnant! There's something wrong with Sean! I know..." His voice trailed off.

Daniel left the table to go find his grandparents while leaving Abigail at the table herself.

Abigail watched Daniel's large body walk away from the table. He was traveling to the dance floor. A sense of sadness had washed over her. She shook her head in disappointment. "Damn you woman..." she muttered into her glass before taking a sip of her drink. "The Lord protects babies and fools, so I know everything is going to be all right."

Daniel left the table to go to the dance floor. He needed to find his grandparents to tell them the news. He found them in the center of the dance floor, dancing to "Boogie Wonderland". He explained to his grandparents about his call with Mary Anne. The look of fear in his grandmother's face caused Daniel to become terrified.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, along with Daniel, left the dance floor. They traveled back to their table. They arrived to the table to see Abigail settling the bill with the server.

Abigail gazes at her great-nephew and she sighs with great disappointment. She could see the worry and the concern in his eyes. It was conveyed in his actions. His hands fumbled with his coat as he tried to fasten the buttons. He reminded Abigail of her brother.

To lighten up the mood, Abigail asked Daniel, "How are you feeling, Daddy?"

Her attempt at humor failed at the moment she saw his face turned sour-puss.

She smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry."

*****

Daniel, his grandparents and his great-aunt made the trip up to the hospital. He drove his Lincoln Navigator in silence. He could hear the chatter going on around him. He didn't participate in the conversation. He was too worried about the welfare of his wife and son. He knew that she was in her fifth month of the pregnancy. Based off of the various pregnancy books that he has read, the baby's lungs are not fully developed.

'How is he going to breathe? Will he use a machine in order to breathe? Is he going to be retarded? Is he going to be like Big Sean? Is he going to be bedridden like him? What's going to happen to my son?'

Danny's eyes became blurry with tears as his mind drifts off and he thinks about his baby brother, Sean.

Sean was the youngest child that Daniel's parents sired. He was born premature. His mother had gone into labor during her fifth month of pregnancy. Her doctor tried to stop the process, but they were unable to deter.

Daniel was fifteen years old at the time. He was very excited about his mother's pregnancy, especially ever since he discovered that she was carrying another boy. For a very long time, Daniel was the only male-child out of eight children. He was excited that he was going to be able to show his younger brother how to do things.

After Sean was born, he was whisked off to the hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit, where he was put through a series of tests. No one was allowed to see the small baby boy while the doctors administer the tests. Daniel was scared. He didn't understand what was happening with his brother. He asked his father and was told nothing. He asked his mother, who did nothing but cry.

When he learned that Sean was not going to live past his first month, Daniel was devastated. His parents also told him that the doctors informed his parents that if Sean were to survive, he was going to be mentally handicapped. He had taken the news hard.

To everyone's surprise, Sean lived past his first month. He lived to see his first birthday and his second birthday. The doctors were correct with their diagnosis about his physical and mental incapability. He wasn't able to breathe on his own accord and he needed to use a ventilator. He was mentally delayed and he couldn't communicate. He had no use of his limbs. He either lied in his bed or he would travel in a motorized wheelchair.

Daniel absolutely adored his little brother. Whenever he would have free time, he would spend the time with his brother. He would lie in his brother's bed and would read stories to him. He knew that Sean loved those moments. He also loved those moments as well.

On the day Sean died, it was six years later. Sean was six years old. Daniel was twenty-one years old at the time. He was a college senior and was a football star. It was on the night of a game, when he received a call from his father. His father told him outright that Sean died from a complicated case of pneumonia.

Daniel felt as if his heart stopped. His body had gone cold and numb. He thanked his father and ended the call. With his mind set on 'auto pilot', Daniel continued to prepare for the football game. Later on that night, he used his grief. He managed to obtain the school's record of the most tackles in one game.

"Grandpa, I need for you to drive," Daniel asked with his voice breaking up.

"Sure, son" he heard his grandfather told him. "Danny, just find a space on the off-ramp and I'll take it over."

A few minutes later, Daniel found an empty spot off of the ramp. He followed his grandfather's advice. He parked his truck and turned on the hazard lights. He stared straight ahead and out of the windshield. He gazed at the highway that was lying before him.

For Daniel, he wasn't thinking about the highway routes or about the traffic. He was occupied with his thoughts. He was thinking about his unborn child's health and he was thinking about his deceased brother. Daniel began to cry.

"Oh Danny," Tin, Daniel's grandfather, groaned.

Hearing the concern that was buried in his grandfather's statement triggered something in Daniel, in which his cries became evident to the other occupants in the car. In the midst of his sobbing, he hears his grandmother sigh, while she was sitting in the backseat. He heard his great-aunt whisper a prayer underneath her breath. He felt his grandpa clutch his arm.

"Danny, your baby is gonna be fine," the Thompson patriarch assured him. "He's going to be—

"He's going to be like Sean," sobbed Daniel. He proceeded to cry into his hands.

"You don't know that, Danny" his grandfather told him. "He could be fine—

"Tin is right, baby" his grandmother added. "Little Sean is going to be all right!"

"He is fine, Danny" Abigail interjected. "He is gonna grow up to be one fine man, thanks to you!"

"I don't know how..." He continued to sob into his large hands. "Oh God, please make my boy healthy!"

"We have to get to the hospital, Danny. We have to go and see your baby boy," his grandfather told him. His grandfather patted Daniel's shoulder and soon helped him out of the car. The elder man escorted Daniel to the other side of the car. He helped him into the passenger seat. By the time the older man reached the driver's seat, Daniel was calm.

"You're all right?" his grandfather asked.

Daniel nodded his head.

"That's good. He's going to be fine, Danny," his grandfather told him.

The travel to the hospital was a blur to Daniel. He gave his grandfather the directions of the hospital and the trip was flawless. Rather than scour the vicinity of the building for available parking, his grandpa dropped Daniel off at the hospital's entrance. He rapidly exited the car and ran up to the building's entrance. He almost crashed into the sliding glass doors.

The large and hulking man ran down a short hallway of the Mount Pleasant Hospital which led to the 'Help-Information' desk. He ran up to the small clerical area and stood at the counter. He saw two women sitting behind the desk. He noticed that they were dressed in nurse's uniforms. They were both staring at their respective computer screens.

"E-E-Excuse me," stuttered Daniel, an obvious sign that he was nervous. The two nurses turned their attention to him. "My wife is here and she was brought here..." As he was explaining to the hospital's staff members about his wife's arrival into the hospital, the nurses' eyes widen. "... Her name is Mary Anne Logan and she—

A nurse shoots up and out of her chair. "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE DANIEL LOGAN!" one of the women screamed. Then, she begins to shriek with excitement and she is joined by her co-worker.

Daniel tries to have the nurses' focus on him. They continue to have their 'fan-girl' moments by screaming and jumping up and down with glee. He proceeds to wave his hands in front of their faces. "I need help in finding my wife! She is here because she is in labor! Ladies—

"HE CALLS US 'LADIES'!" one of the nurses shouted to the other. They continue to celebrate.

"Can..." Daniel's voice trails off, when he sees an orderly walking towards the front desk, from another hallway that is to the left of the kiosk. He leaves the two nurses and runs over to the man. He asks the employee if he knows the location to the maternity ward. The orderly not only gives Daniel the directions, but he also shows him the location to the elevators.

By the time he reaches the maternity ward, his anxiety level was increased. His stomach rumbled while there was a pain in his chest. He really wanted a taste of alcohol right now.

Once he had set foot off of the elevator, he was greeted by another 'Help-Information-Registration' desk. Unlike the first desk that he approached, this kiosk was larger and had more nurses assigned to this station. Daniel ran up to the desk and stood on front of it. He felt four pairs of eyes staring at him.

"My wife... She's in labor. She came here at... I don't know the time. I don't know what room—

"What's your wife's name, Sir?" one of the two nurses , who was sitting closest to the counter, asked him.

"Her name is Mary Anne Logan," answered Daniel. "And-And she was brought here..." Then he proceeded to ramble.

"Please, calm down, Sir."

The instruction had come from behind him. He turned around to see an older woman. She was wearing the standard nurse's uniform. She was a slim and petite African-American woman, who appeared to be in her mid-50. Her skin was the same color of the bark from an oak tree. Her dark-colored hair was cut short. She wore a pair of plastic, bright red eyeglasses over a pair of expressive, brown eyes. She stood behind Daniel with her arms folded across her chest. Daniel could sense that this woman was always professional and handled her business with authority.

"I'm sorry—

"It's okay, Sir" the woman said to him.

"My wife is in labor. She came here. I don't know where—

"What's your wife's name?"

"Her name is Mary Anne Logan," he informed the nurse.

The woman walked pass Daniel and she traveled to the front desk. She stood in front of the desk.

"Nurse Sampson, you need to be focusing on your computer instead of that magazine that you are trying to hide underneath your desk! You should've been helping this man find out where his wife is residing! Nurse Dean, you need to..." The nurse continued to scold and throw out instructions to her subordinates. Daniel watched the supervising nurse work while the other four scrambled around.

"Diane, she is in Room 838," the nurse informed her supervisor.

"Follow me, Mr. Logan, I will show you to your wife's room," the supervisor told him.

Daniel followed the woman. She led him away from the front desk. They walked down the short hallway and made a right turn into a long corridor.

"I'm sorry for my nurses' lack of professionalism. They are usually efficient. I am sorry about that," the nurse said to him as they both walked.

"Don't worry about it," he said to the nurse.

They were about to reach the end of the hallway, when the nurse stopped in front of a door. He stopped.

"We're here," the nurse announced. She knocked on the door and then opened the metal object. The nurse peep her head inside. "Good evening Mrs. Logan, I have a special person who is here to see you!" The nurse moved out of the way to allow Daniel to enter the room.

Daniel entered the large birthing suite. His eyes were focused on his wife.

"I'll give you guys some privacy," the nurse informed him. "Congratulations Daddy!" she said, cheerfully.

Daniel glimpsed at the nurse. "Thank you." He returned his attention to Mary Anne. She was lying in a start-of the-art bed. She was strapped up with a heart monitor, an intravenous drip, a fetal heart monitor and some other machine. She was sitting upright. Her blue eyes were focused on him. Daniel thought she looked like she was in pain. Her small and pretty face was drenched in sweat. Her hands clutched onto the hand railings of the bed. She was practicing her breathing techniques that she learned in her Lamaze sessions.

"What had taken you so long?" she grunted.

"I'm sorry, baby" he stated as he strolled over to the bed. "I have my grandparents with me—

"You brought them here?" she inquired, sounding offended. Her eyes were wide. "They are going to ruin this for me!"

'What are you talking about?' he wondered.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "They are here as moral support—

"They hate me!" she claimed, in between her panting.

Daniel scoffed in disbelief, which earned him a very stern look from his wife. "They don't hate you."

"They do, your family hates me! Your grandmother just stares at me! She doesn't say anything to me! Then there is your Aunt Abigail! She always say snide remarks to me as if she thinks that I don't understand!" Mary Anne whined. "I don't want them in here!"

"Okay," he murmured before taking a hold of her right hand. "They won't come in here."

A pang of guilt touched at Daniel's soul. He felt he was denying his grandparents and Abigail once again. His chest developed a nasty ache that pulsed while a burning sensation scorched at his insides with a snail's pace. He let out a cough, which was an effort to get rid of the burn.